Photos, Report & Review: Disney After Hours Boo Bash
We attended the first After Hours Boo Bash at Magic Kingdom, the new Walt Disney World special event with lower crowds, short wait times for popular rides, plus Halloween entertainment, characters, and atmosphere. In this review, we’ll share party photos, what we accomplished, and whether it’s worth the money.
If you’re looking for background info about the event, ticket prices, dates, and all of the other basics, consult our Guide to Disney After Hours Boo Bash. We’ll be updating that with more photos and advice based upon our experience at the first party night, plus whatever common questions might arise from this report.
In case you’ve missed past coverage, Disney After Hours Boo Bash is the indirect replacement for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party–hopefully just for this year. Boo Bash definitely has a similar vibe, and the event’s Halloween-theme and entertainment feature prominently in its marketing. However, beyond the surface level similarities, Disney After Hours Boo Bash has very little in common with Walt Disney World’s iconic Halloween Party…
It’s understandably tough to get past this since Disney After Hours Boo Bash is occurring during the same timeframe as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and the event description sounds similar to MNSSHP. It thus stands to reason that they should be similar, offering comparable experiences and appealing to the same general audience.
That’s like saying Eddie Murphy’s modern masterpiece, the Haunted Mansion, is similar to Hereditary. Or Casper is like the Conjuring. They’re all “haunted house” movies at their core, so what’s the difference? Anyone conflating those films for their superficial similarities has made a gross miscalculation that they will quickly regret after pressing play. Same goes for Disney After Hours Boo Bash, which is a fundamentally different event than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
We won’t belabor this point too much since it’s been (overly) emphasized in all of our Disney After Hours Boo Bash coverage to date, but Boo Bash is much more akin to Villains After Hours. Suffice to say, that assessment feels even more accurate after experiencing Boo Bash.
To reiterate one final time, the heart of Disney After Hours Boo Bash is low crowds and short lines at attractions–the entertainment just icing on the cake. By contrast, the heart of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is the entertainment, and short lines for some rides are the icing. Your opinion of Boo Bash will hinge entirely on whether you want a low crowds event or a Halloween event. Boo Bash most definitely does not fill those Not-So-Scary sized shoes…but it also doesn’t try to do so.
Moving along to our evening, we arrived at 7 pm, right as Disney After Hours Boo Bash guests were first allowed to “mix in” with day guests. The result was large crowds on Main Street as guests arriving, leaving, and claiming spots for the fireworks all collided in the same general area.
Our plan was to do a few attractions and get a general feel for crowds before returning to watch Happily Ever After from the front of the park. We managed to knock out it’s a small world, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Dumbo, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and Carousel of Progress during this time. All of these waits were minimal, and we could’ve done even more were we singularly focused on doing attractions. (We passed Barnstormer as a walk-on, and both Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Tomorrowland Speedway appeared to have short lines.)
Upon returning to Main Street, we realized that trying to watch/photograph the fireworks was a total lost cause due to the heavy crowds and congestion, so we doubled back to Tomorrowland.
After taking some photos and checking out the merchandise, we got in line for Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover only a few minutes before the fireworks began. It’s always enjoyable watching the pyro explode overhead while aboard the TTA.
We raced to Fantasyland after finishing the PeopleMover, and managed to catch the last couple minutes of the fireworks from between the New Fantasyland walls.
This area is usually uncrowded and great for photos. For your viewing purposes, I’d recommend a spot with both Beast’s Castle and Cinderella Castle visible so you can simultaneously see the low level and rear bursts. It’s great for being fully “immersed” in the fireworks, with pyro exploding in front of and behind you.
After the fireworks, there was a roughly 30 minute gap between Magic Kingdom closing to day guests and Disney After Hours Boo Bash beginning. We checked out a couple PhotoPass spots, but neither were ready to go. We also noticed event guests starting to queue up for trick or treating, snacks, and other things.
Knowing that all of this would have no lines later in the evening, we instead headed deep into Frontierland and did Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which had virtually no wait. This also would’ve been a good time to knock out Splash Mountain, which had a 15 minute posted wait and no visible line, but we opted against it.
Instead, we went over to Haunted Mansion, grabbed ice cream, and watched Madame Carlotta for a bit.
This was not an objectively good use of our limited event time–Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise both had 15 minute posted waits and actual waits even shorter than that judging by appearances–but we wanted to enjoy the Halloween entertainment in addition to taking advantage of the low waits.
In fact, a good portion of our evening revolved around seeing and getting photos of the special Halloween entertainment. Definitely more than the average attendee, but it’s safe to say we are not the average attendees.
The irony that we focused on entertainment while stressing the point that you should not focus on entertainment isn’t lost on me. As Annual Passholders who are in Magic Kingdom at least once per week, seasonal entertainment is a novelty for us, whereas attractions are not. (Which is probably why so many other APs and other regulars were disappointed by this event replacing MNSSHP.)
From Haunted Mansion, we headed over to Frontierland to watch the Cadaver Dans perform.
Back in the ‘golden age’ of the Party Pass (two years ago), we spent many a late night in front of Country Bear Jamboree watching them serenade guests and crack jokes. It was a nice stroll down memory lane.
After that, we spent considerable time at the front of the park watching the Halloween cavalcades. These are identical to those from regular daily operations last year, with the addition of the Maleficent Festival of Fantasy parade float. They are not even remotely on par with the full Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween parade.
The music, costumes, choreography, and performers all evoke that iconic Halloween parade. Sort of like how British Invasion reminds you of the Beatles. The cavalcades are enough to whet your appetite, but leave you wanting more.
As with the daytime cavalcades, our perspective on the Halloween cavalcades is that they are best enjoyed as something you spontaneously “happen upon.” They are cute and fun, but there’s not nearly as much meat to them–even all of them combined–as a full parade.
Planning your evening around seeing the Halloween cavalcades can be a time drain, even with the low crowds and last-minute availability of viewing locations. Unless you or your kids are fond of particular characters featured in the cavalcade (or want to see Maleficent roll down Main Street), we would not recommend slotting them into your itinerary. You’re truly not missing much if you don’t see them.
This is definitely a case of “do as I say, not as I do.” We spent way too long watching and photographing the Halloween cavalcades. It was nice not having to fight crowds for good photos, but the cavalcades themselves were not particularly satisfying.
It didn’t help that the Maleficent float was not breathing fire. Seeing this at night was the “icing on the cake” for Villains After Hours, so it was a big letdown. (I’m probably overemphasizing this as compared to most guests, but I really wanted to experience it again.)
The other seemingly-insignificant (but big to us) disappointment was PhotoPass. There were not nearly enough photographers doing these Magic Shots, and the longest line of the entire event was for the photo above.
You can’t tell from the profile view, but in our “normal” photo before this, I was channeling Nick Nolte’s mugshot. Unlimited ice cream (and copious amounts of sugar) is a helluva drug! 😉
The last hour of Disney After Hours Boo Bash was especially glorious.
Aside from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Haunted Mansion (always popular at Halloween-themed events given its connection to the holiday) pretty much everything was a walk-on or close to it. We only waited a few minutes for Peter Pan’s Flight, despite its 20 minute posted wait.
We ended up doing a dozen attractions during the pre-party and event itself, and that number is almost certainly much lower than anyone who went in on a mission to ride as much as possible. We allocated a lot of time to entertainment and photos that the average guest presumably wouldn’t–or at least, shouldn’t.
I’m hesitant to offer much strategy from our one-off experience that was not focused on efficiency, especially given that crowd levels and dynamics might change. With that said, this is now our third Magic Kingdom After Hours event, and they all seem to follow more or less the same pattern.
Accordingly, I’d recommend knocking out low wait and longer attractions during the pre-event mix-in hours. Following the fireworks, start in deep in Frontierland or Adventureland, and then do the other of those two. Cross through the hub and knock out Tomorrowland, finishing in Fantasyland. Hopefully you’ll see some of the cavalcades and characters at random, but if not, oh well.
Lines for trick or treating and snacks virtually disappeared by the end of the night, but PhotoPass lines did not. It’s possible there will be less demand for PhotoPass during future event nights–or Walt Disney World will increase the number of photographers who can do the Magic Shots. That’s definitely one easy area for improvement.
It’s worth noting that despite this (and many other) Disney After Hours Boo Bash being “sold out” online, tickets were being sold day-of at Magic Kingdom. I have no clue if this is due to cancellations, increased capacity, or tickets being set-aside from the outset for same-day sales (Disneyland has done that for years with its Halloween parties).
Regardless of the why, the crowd level at the Disney After Hours Boo Bash we attended was perfect. It wasn’t eerily empty, but many attractions were walk-ons and wait times were reasonable at the headliners. I wouldn’t want to see attendance much higher than this unless there’s more entertainment and “other things” added. I’m also concerned October crowds at the event could be higher than what we experienced.
At the end of the night, we raced to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, getting in line one minute before Disney After Hours Boo Bash ended.
We breezed through the cool queue in 11 minutes under the shade of the night sky, with a feels like temperature of 85 degrees. Those details might seem like odd inclusions given that it was after midnight, but anyone who has waited for over an hour in the unshaded overflow queue recently with 110 degree might be “sold” on Disney After Hours Boo Bash on the basis of that last sentence alone.
The practical reality of Florida weather cannot be overstated. Right now, daytime hours are downright miserable–even at rope drop, humidity is oppressive and the midday sun can be draining. While this event runs through October when temperatures will (hopefully) be cooler, nighttime is still much more pleasant.
At night, the sun is down and it feels better. Between that, the lower crowds, and a mild breeze, Disney After Hours Boo Bash was an incredibly enjoyable experience. (“I enjoyed being outside” may seem like a low bar, but it’s not a sentence you’ll hear many Floridians utter in August.)
The heat and humidity create a “haze of hostility” that just lingers in the air. I’m not even kidding, that’s the highly scientific explanation for Florida Man’s many misadventures! As soon as the fireworks ended, you could feel Magic Kingdom’s temperature drop, both literally and figuratively. The park became palpably more pleasant and the overall mood improved.
To that point, Disney After Hours Boo Bash was our most pleasant prolonged visit to Magic Kingdom in a while. Probably since around this time last year when off-season crowds plummeted, but before hours were dramatically cut. It was very similar to previous After Hours events in this regard, and markedly better to Extra Magic Hours or the Halloween and Christmas Parties in their last years–all of which had become over-crowded.
Whether Disney After Hours Boo Bash is worth the money really depends–even more so than other hard ticket events Walt Disney World has done in the past. We paid $274.78 for our two tickets after tax and discount, and that was for the cheapest event night.
Disney After Hours Boo Bash is more expensive than past Halloween or Christmas Parties, but it’s cheaper than a single day ticket to Magic Kingdom or doing a VIP tour. Unfortunately, all of those are highly imperfect comparisons, so you’ll really need to assess how much more comfortable crowds and short wait times plus spooky atmosphere are worth to you. For families with young children, there’s also the question of whether your kids can last until midnight.
Ultimately, we would recommend Disney After Hours Boo Bash to first-timers, infrequent Walt Disney World visitors with limited vacation time, or those who value riding a lot of attractions with minimal waits. This is the best experience you’re going to have at Magic Kingdom, both qualitatively and quantitatively. You’re going to be able to accomplish around a full day of attractions in only a few hours, and do so in a much more comfortable and pleasant park.
With that said, Disney After Hours Boo Bash certainly is not for everyone. If you are expecting a modified Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, you will almost certainly be disappointed. You might even think this review is a bit too positive since the event is so “scaled back” as compared to MNSSHP. To be clear, Disney After Hours Boo Bash is subpar strictly as a Halloween event.
However, rating Disney After Hours Boo Bash as compared to MNSSHP in terms of entertainment makes little sense, as that’s not what this offers. That would be akin to reviewing Casper negatively because the ghost is friendly and it’s not nearly as scary as the Conjuring. More appropriately, consider Disney After Hours Boo Bash a mass market, self-guided VIP-lite experience. Through that lens, Disney After Hours Boo Bash makes infinitely more sense and the value proposition is markedly superior–so long as Walt Disney World doesn’t raise that attendance cap for future Boo Bashes.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you attended Disney After Hours Boo Bash? What did you think of the event? How many attractions were you able to experience? What was your average and/or highest wait time? What’d you think of the atmosphere and entertainment? Would you attend, or is it too pricey? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
@Mary – we did WDW in December 2020 and ate all but one of our meals outdoors. For table service meals, we at at The Boathouse and Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs and Geyser Point Bar & Grill at Wilderness Lodge (on our MK day). The Boathouse and Geyser Point were both highly recommended on this blog and they didn’t disappoint. Frontera Cocina was also very good.
We typically eat one table service meal per day but we did our homework before traveling and sought out quick service meals that were more than the typical burger and fries plus had outdoor seating (Flame Tree Barbeque, Satu’li Canteen, the outdoor market area at HS, Regal Eagle are a few that come to mind). It was different for us but we all enjoyed trying a few new quick service restaurants and not limiting what we ordered since we didn’t have an ADR for later that day.
“The heat and humidity create a “haze of hostility” that just lingers in the air.”
This is one of the truest sentences I’ve ever read.
I’ve never attended a Halloween event and, as a local annual passholder, this article made me decide I wanted to try the Boo Bash (even if something else is better I wouldn’t know, right?). So I added the tickets to my cart but there was no passholder discount. Does that seem right?
I’m sorry if I missed this in your report (or comments), but if you have an AP are the Boo Bash photopass photos included? Thanks
Are there ways to stay outdoors your entire visit (including eating food) if you wanted to avoid indoor settings ? Thanks !
The last Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party night we went to was
2019 (I think the last year they had it pre pandemic) and OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
SOOOO crowded
It was Fall Break for many Southern Schools and it was crazy busy!!!
October has become one of the most crowded months to visit.
Much more busy than spring breaks, in my opinion
You consistently provide happiness and laughter with your information and pictures. Much appreciated. Thank you. Sarah’s dress is adorable.
Thank you for this. I know Halloween just started but we will be in Disney Nov. 8th-12th and I just read that the first day of the Christmas after hours in Nov 8th, which will be our MK day, what are your thoughts on people not doing the event but it’s their regular ticket day? Like for the end of the night and fireworks? I was thinking exactly what you saw and wrote about main street getting crowded at 7pm with event coming in and people
Finishing their day. Im usually a front of castle person for the fireworks, I’d hate to miss them and the kids enjoy them any other place you suggest (besides the fantasy land spot you mentioned)?
I have three kids 3, 8, 11.
With Disney Enchantment debuting on October 1, fireworks viewing is going to be crowded every day for the last 3 months of the year. Front of castle will still be your best bet, especially for the projections. Fantasyland is our favorite ‘second viewing’ location–but shouldn’t be where you see them for the first time.
Here are other good and bad locations: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/magic-kingdom-best-fireworks-views/
Lower crowds, fairly pleasant temps, walk-on attractions — sounds like a definite winner to me, at any price! I hope to experience this fun event some day.
Hi Tom, I love reading the newsletter and am very much so looking forward to the beginning of September! I’m so torn between regular day tickets or boo. I guess only time will tell as I have three teens and one toddler. I am curious though are the snacks and other such things included in the boo bash?
Yes. Popcorn, ice cream, and soda are all included.
I’m very glad to hear this! I bought tickets for the end of August – we are headed to WDW for our 10th anniversary. I have an AP but my husband does not and he didn’t want to spend the money for park tickets so we are trying new things this trip and I decided to do Boo Bash. This will be perfect for us because he is all about the rides and food and only tolerates things like character photos. I love the Halloween vibe and the entertainment aspect (and I love any excuse to wear a costume…) so this will be a nice middle ground to make us both happy.
Yes we were right up from Country Bear Jamboree.
I tied to send you a picture but couldn’t tell if it went through.
This makes me happy to see..even though it’s not MNSSHP it’s still “Halloween” at Disney and that’s my favorite thing ever. We have avoided October In Disney the last few years (and all the gorgeous fall decor sadly) because what used to be slow season had turned to peak season. So I live vicariously through these posts. Thank you for the post!!
Hey Tom. I really enjoy reading your blogs as we are counting down to a Disney trip in early September. I do have a question about the after hours Halloween event which we also purchased tickets for. .. Are guests dressing up for the event?? We have plans to dress up but I’m hoping it’s worth it to do that and also frequent many attractions. I appreciate any advise or feedback you can offer.
We saw some guests dressed up last night–maybe 20% of attendees or so.
That’s not too surprising given the hot weather and since it’s still early August. I’d expect more people to wear costumes as it gets closer to Halloween and the temperature cools down more.
Tom
Love your blog. I was at the Boo Bash last night and the dragon did breath fire on the first time around. I got good pictures and video.
We had a great time.
Denny
Thanks for sharing! I saw someone else mention that too–were you by chance in Frontierland? Because by the time it got to MSUSA during the first performance, there was no fire. I wonder if something happened.
I love your wife’s dress! Where did she find it? So cute!
We have tickets for Boo Bash for 9/12. We attended a Not So Scary party event on a Friday night in 2019 and I thought it was really crowded, much more so than I expected for an after-hours thing. So glad to hear that your night had a good vibe. Low wait times for rides and Disney atmosphere – you can’t ask for more! Now, we have to find really cool – not hot – costumes. As always, thank you so much for your detailed report! I’m such a fan!
Hi Tom,
I enjoy your blog very much! Even if I cannot get to WDW often, your updates take me there and make me happy. 🙂 Anyhow, I was reading about the After Hours Boo Bash, which you didn’t mention in your review of it, are there “included” snacks and drinks with this special event?
For Magic Kingdom, for me and my family, it’s after hours events only from now on. Thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas Party’s low crowds, nighttime ambience and cooler temps (and orange bird dessert). If I could be in FL right now, I’d be there for Boo Bash. The current amount of entertainment is enough for me personally.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Now I’m interested to hear how you make out at MK during EEH. If they continue those into December I may choose EEH vs the after hours event since I happen to be at a Deluxe resort this year.